Maha delays sending ideas to make sexual assault law tough

The state government has missed the January 5 deadline for sending its suggestions to the Justice Verma committee for amending laws to provide speedier justice and enhanced punishment in sexual assault cases.

The suggestions have just been put together and the file will be sent to Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan soon, sources said. The government is already 11 days late and this process might take another four days.

Members of the Justice CS Dharmadhikari committee, who attended a meeting at Mantralaya on Wednesday, were shocked when they were told that the government had not yet put forth its suggestions.

“We wanted to know what suggestions have been put forth and we were told that the official letter to give suggestions was received only on January 12. They have just finished compiling the list of suggestions which they will now send to the CM, after which it will be sent to the committee,” said a member who attended the meeting.

Referring to the government’s attitude as “non-serious”, another committee member said it is strange that the state waited for an official letter when the date for sending the suggestions were widely publicised and many other governments have already sent them.

“An official at the meeting told us that our suggestions will be considered even if we are two weeks late. But this is not acceptable, the state needs to act with more responsibility in an important issue like this,” she said.